R1 Visa Religious Worker
R1 Visa Religious Worker
The R-1 visa offers the opportunity for religious workers to come to the United States in order to perform that work. Religious workers include those authorized by a religious denomination to perform acts associated with clergy (for example priest or monk) or those working at a religious occupation (such as religious instructors or missionaries).
The denomination itself must have a bona fide nonprofit religious organization within the United States, and the religious worker must have been a member of the religion for at least two years immediately preceding the application for the R-1 visa. The R-1 visa permits the holder of the visa to travel freely within the United States, and allows for the bringing of a spouse and any unmarried children under age 21 to the United States.
R1 Visa Application
Application for the R-1 visa requires the filing of form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Alien Worker. Applicants must also have documents proving their membership in the religious organization, as well as proof of their religious employment.
